Power transmitter and controller.



T. S. MILLER.

POWER TRANSMITTER AND CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3,1906.

91 5,458. Patented Mar. 16, 1909.

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T. S. MILLER.

POWER TRANSMITTER AND CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3,1906.

Patented Mar. 16, 1909.

3 8HEETSSHEET 2.

T. S. MILLER.

POWER TRANSMITTER AND CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3 1906.

Patented Mar. 16, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A TTORNEYS THOMAS SPENCER MILLER, OF SOUTH ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

POWER TRANSMITTER AND CONTROLLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 16, 1909.

Application med July s, 1906. Seria1No.82-1,687.'

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAs SPENCER MILLER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of South Orange, Essex county, and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Power Transmitter and Con troller, of which the following is a specification.

The first part of my invention consists of mechanism whereby the power of the prime mover may be transmitted to two actuators and its distribution between the same adjusted in its transmission.

Another-part of my invention consists in the combination of said mechanism with a conveying apparatus as the actuator there- (for.

Still another part ofmy invention consists in combining said mechanismwith the transit rope of a marine cableway.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sideview of my transmitter in a form adapted for a marine cableway. .Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the drums and inter mediate gearing. Fig. 3 is an end view of the same with one of the drums removed to display the intermediate gearing, Fig. 4

is aslde view of two ships at sea connected by a cableway containing my transmitter. Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are detailsof parts of a marine cableway.

h, h are twoactuators which will be of a proper form to suit the system that they are to actuate. In the accompanying drawings, they are shown as two rope-drums (not necessarily duplicates) actuating the transit rope of a marine cableway of the' class originated by me in my Patents Nos. 637143 and 637142 dated November "14, 1899; No. 691 911 dated January 28, 1902, and No. 786510 dated April 4, 1905. 1, is a shaft driven by a suitable motor, such as the reversible electric motor 2- secured tothe same. There are two motions 'im arted to said actuatorsh, h: first, -a riving motion; and, second, What I will herein term an adjusting motion,;which produces a tem 'orar gain or loss of one actuator over the ot ier in its. driving motion. The driving motion is imparted from the shaft 1 to the actuator h which is keyed fast thereon by the key 3 and thence, transmittedby the rotation of the "pinion or pinions 4 around their own axes, to the two actuator h which. is rotatable on the shaft '1. This is and which is thusrotated at the same numberof revolutions with h but in the opposite direction. The pinions mesh with the gears 5 and 6 fixed respectively to the two actuators. The adjustmg motion is p'ro duced by a bodily movement of the transmltter pinion or pinions 4 aroundthe shaft carrier or spider 8. A rotative movement of this transmitter carrier in one direction is accompanied by a gain of actuator it over h and, vice versa, a rotative movement of the transmitter carrier in the opposite direction is accompanied by again of actuator h over h. So long as the trans mitter carrier is stationary, in whatever position it may be, the actuators h and la. rotate at equal speeds in revolution per minute.

The actuator h transmitter carrier 8 and actuator h are respectively rovided with band-brakes 9, 10 and 11 eac secured to a fixed support. So long as the brake 10 is set, the transmitter carrier is stationaryand the speeds (meaning revolutions er minute) of the actuators aree ual. If. t e brake 10 is unset, the speed of t e actuator h may be retarded by the brake 11 and the adjustment of the two actuators may thus be changed by a gain of the actuator h over h to any extent desired. By unsetting the brake 11 and setting thebrake 10; the two actuators will again proceed at equal speeds but at the new relative adjustment.

If the two actuators be in the form of ropedrums of equal diameters and two rope runs be op ositely coiled thereon, as shown in dotte' lines in Fig. 1, the driving motion will drive these two ropes in unisonand the adjusting motion will enable the unwound lengths of the two .rope runsto be relatively adjusted to any difference desired while the driving is in progress. In other Words, by

runningthe motor in one direction, bot

ropes will be hauled in and by runnmg the motor in the opposite direction,'both ropes will be paid out andat eqlual speeds so long as the pinion carrier is he d stationary; but at any stage, the unsettin of the brake 10 and the setting of the bra e 11 wlll'retard the'motion of the drunrh so as to change the relative adjustment of the two ropes to any difl'erence of length desired. If, how-- ever, the two ends of a loop of rope be coiled rovided for by mounting the. shafts 7 of t e pinions '4 radially in a pinion in the same direction on the drums h and h,

as shown by the full lines 6', e, in Fig. 1, the

driving motion will drive these two ends in- 'versely and at equal speeds so long as the ing to the transmitter carrier 8 a tension motor tending constantly to rotate it in the hauling-in dlrection of the ,drums h 7L2. This tension, when the brakes are unset, will counterbalance the load crossing the span with the oableway at normal deflection and will take up abnormal deflection or pay out if thedeflection becomes less than normal, thus serving to maintain the deflection of the cable substantially constant under variable conditions, such as are produced by shortening or lengthening the span due to the relative movement of two'vessels at sea. Or, it may serve to permit the hauling down of the cableway at either end. The simplest formof tension motor is shown inthe 31000111, panying drawings and consists of a weight 12, suspended by-a rope 1 3 coiled upon a.

ropedrum 14, fixed to .the peripheryof the transmitter carrier, in a direction opposed to that in whichthe rope runs e e are coiled upon the drums h h. In placeof theweig-ht on the end of the rope, any other suitable equivalent may be employed for accomplishing the same ,ur-pose.

In t e example shown in the drawi-n s,'e and-e constitute two runs of substantia ly-a single loop of rope extending around the tail sheave g and coiled at oppositeends: upon the rope-drums h h.

20 a supporting cable. 21 is a load carriage running thereon to which the rope runs-e and e are respectively fastened at load-carriage.

ever, shown in 22, 23, so,-thatje is t e-in-haul and e. the out-h'auliope. e, after'passing around the tail-sheave 9 passes between the guidesheaves 24 and 25 onits-return through the 26 and27- are the sheaves on-theheadsupport over which the ropes pass to the ac- In Figs. 4, 5, 6 and. 7, a cableway oi the same general arrangement as Fig. v1 isshown between a'warshignfi' towing a collier 29 by the tow-line 30. I

reater detail asregards cableway arts.- hel main cable 20 is fastened to t e mast of the-warshiand. passes over sheaves 'elevatedon the co iers masts,

thence off the st'ermof the collier where it is. fastened to a S68.:-8,I1h 1: ordrag the water.

- The tail-sheave g gn'rdulited inl the collier these figure-s, it is, how- I plied and in the other case t distance from'the'foremast of the collier by the pennant 32 as will bring the load to the right osition on the deck when the cable-wayis hau ed down by the r0 e 33 wound on the h, h of the power transmitter onthe' deckof the warship. If,-now, the head-sheaves 26, .27, be on one ship and the tail-sheave g on or attached to another ship, as shown in Fig. 4, sothat variations due to wave motion take place in the length of the span,-the operation may be described as follows Suppose the shaft 1 and the drum lfi-fast thereto to be driven in a clockwise direction. Should the transmitter carrier Sreinain station-'ary,the pinions 4 would transmit to the drum h an anti-clockwise movement of the same speed as h: Thus, the rope .runs e, 6 would be driven at equal speeds and the length of the loop will remain constant. In.p1'actice,'thi's -would seldom occur for the rope may be uncoiling from one drum slower or faster than coiling upon the other; Again, the cableway is constantlybei-ng hauled down or permitted to rise. Again, the ships alwayshave some relative motion.-- If, now, an extra ordinary strain be applied, for any reason, v

while if ishauling in, which requires that the loop e, e, be lengthened, the drum h/will respond to the strain and, for the instant,

will pay out faster than the drum h hauls in. This difference causes the rotation of the transmitter carrier 8 in oppositionto the strain of the rope 13 and hoists the-weight 12. If, on the contrary, under the same conditions, a slack occurs-inthe len th of the loop e, ef-th e descent of theweight 12 will momentarily retardthe druinh. so that the IOPQ-Cllflllh'h will haul in faster than the drum h pays out and thus said slack will' be taken Or, to express .it differently: An outu w ard' pull on the loop e 6 will turn the trans.- mitter carrier 8 a ainst the tension of the Wei ht 12. A slac in the outwardpull on the oop e, e will permit the tension of the weiglit 12 or its equivalent, to pull the trans -mitter carrier backward. Thus, in the one case, the extra length of re e will be sup he slack will e taken up, and in both cases this will be-done instantly and automatically and without any" substantial prejudice to the transit movement of'th'e" rope by which the loadiis being conveyed across the s an. t In practice, the

transmitter carrier w' be almost constant motion, first one way and then the reverse. It will thus be seen that the tension applied to the transmitter carrier 8 has the function of a take-up or times automaticaly compensating for variations occurring in the length of the rope runs e,e ,so that the traversing motion of said rope runs ma be performed without interference'from the strain or slack due to such variations in said span.

. My transmitter or inion carrier has the capacity of varying tie length of the ro e runs without altering the tension of the ropes; or, in other words,'-of maintainin a uniform tension in the ropes with a varia 1e length of rope run. This variation in the length of the rope run'may be due to various causes, such as the variation in the length of the span or variation in the defiection of the cableway.

The construction of the marine cableway herein shown operates, whenrcoaling at sea, upon the principle originated by me in Patent No. 637143 in that it contains two actuators h, h operating in antagonistic direc-- tions upon opposite ends of the transit rope skip which is to betip ed, or hoistin and operating a two rope. cam shell buc et, I do not WlSh to limit myself to the direction of wrapping the ropes on either of the drums, for 1t is evident that in the handling of a clam shell bucket, it is necessary to hoist both ropes at the same time, at the same s eed and referably with the same tension. his woul ma'k'e it obligatory that the rope be wrapfied on'the-drums in such a way as to in the same rate of speed. In Fig.

1 I have shown the counterweight rope as being a plied in -0 position to the rope wrapped about the-:fEr'ed drum. It is clear thatt'here are advantages in having the counterweight r'ope act in the o posite direction and it is then a device capab e of rotating the pinion carrier in. one direction.

Having thus described my invention,

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters -1. Incombination, a motor, two actuators by which its power is delivered, 'a driving connection between the vmotor and the first one ofsaid actuators, a transmltter between.

the first and second of said'actuators, a movable transmitter carrier and means whereby a uniform strain may be applied toflsaid I transmitter,

2..- In cbmbination, a motor, two actuators ay-out mechanism, at all by which its power is delivered, a driving connection between the motor and the first one of said actuators, a transmitter between the first and second of said actuators, a revoluble transmitter carrier and means for maintaining a uniform torque on said transmitter carrier.

3. In combination, a motor, two actuators by which itspower is delivered, a driving connection between the motor and the first one of said actuators, a transmitter between the first and second of said actuators, a movable transmitter carrier and a tension motor for said carrier.

4. In combination, a motor, two actuators by which its power is delivered, a driving. connection between the motor and the first one of said actuators, a transmitter between the first and second of said actuators, amovable transmitter carrier and a tension motor and a brake for said carrier.

5. In combination, a motorftwo actuators by which its power is delivered, -a driving connection between the motor and the first one of said actuators, a transmitter between the first and second of said actuators, a movable transmitter carrier, a tension motor for said carrier and a brake for said second actuator.

6. In combination, a motor, two actuators by which its power is delivered, a driving connection between the motor and the first one of said actuators, a transmitter between thefirst and second of said actuators, a 11lovable transmitter carrier, a tension motor for said carrier and brakes for said carrierxand 4 said second actuator.

- 7. In combination, a motor, two actuators by which its power is delivered, a driving connection between the motor and the first one of said actuators, a transmitter between the first and second of said actuators, a movable transmitter carrier, a tension motor 'for said carrier and an independent brake for each of said actuators and said carrier. 7 8. Incombination, a motor, two actuators .by which its power is delivered, a driving connection between the motor and the first one of said actuators, a transmitter between the first and second of said actuators, a movable transmitter carrier,- an inde endent brake for each of saidactuators an -a ten sion motorfor said carrier.

9. In combination, a motor, two actuators by whichits power is delivered, a driving connection between the motor and the first one of said actuators, a transmitter between the first and second of said actuators, a movable transmitter carrier, an independent brake for each of said actuators and said carrier and a motor for said carrier.

10. In combination, a drivin shaft, two actuators respectively fast and oose thereon,'a pinion carrier oose thereon, between said actuators, a pinion connection between said actuators mounted upon said carrierand whereby saidpiniOn is held under uniform.

l "tension.

12. In combination, two alined rope drums, means whereby the first one is driven,"

a pinionconnection between them anda pinion carrier movable parallel with their planesof rotation and means whereby said pinion is held under uniform tension.

13. In combination, two alined rope drums, means whereby the first one is driven, I a pinion connection between them, a pinion in carrier movable arallel with their planes of rotation and a rake on the second rope drum and means for maintaining a uniform .tension on said pinion carrier.

14, In combination, two alined rope drums, means whereby the first one is driven, a pinion connection between them, a pinion carrier movable parallel with their lanes of rotation and-brakes on said second rope drum and thepinion carrier and means for nraintaining a uniform tension on said pinion carrier. I

15. In combination, two alined rope urns, means whereby the first one is driven, a transmitter between them, a transmitter 35 carrier movable parallel with their planes of rotation and a tension motor for said carrier. I 16. In combination, two almed' rope drums, means whereby the first-one is driven, a transmitter between them, a transmitter {'0 carrier movable parallel with theirplanes of rotation, a tension motor for said carrier and a brake for said second rope drum.

" "17. In combination,

4'5 atrailsmitte'r between them, atransmitter barrier" movable parallel with their lanesrof rotation, a tension motor for Sat "carrier second.

and brakesfor' said carrier and said rope drum. 5'5 18. In {combination three rope drums, means for driving the first of said rope drums 19. In combination, three rope drums} -means for driving the first of said rope drums and a transmitter mounted upon the second aof said rope drums forming, a driving con- J nection between the-first and third'of-saidrope drums and'afbrake on the third-of said rope drums. I

' '20. In combination, three rope drums,

"T55 and a transmitter mounted upon the second produce adecrement in said'loop.

,6, transmitter mounted upon the second- -on, a carriage traction-rope, two actuators means for driving the first of said rope drums of said rope drums forming a driving connection between the first and third of said rope-drums and a brake on the second of said rope drums. I

21. In, combination, three rope drums, means for driving the first of said rope drums and a transmitter mounted upon the second of said rope drums forming a driving connection between the first andthird of said rope drums and brakes third of said ro e drums.

22. In comb nation, three rope drums, means for driving the first of said rope drums and 'a-transmitter mounted u on the second of said rope drums forming a tion between the first and third of said rope drums and independent brakes on the first and third of said rope drums.

23. In combination, a shaft, a motor one element of which is mounted upon said shaft, two rope drums respectively fast and loose on said shaft, atransmitter between said ro e drums, a transmitter carrier revolub' y mounted upon said shaft between said drums and means for maintaining a uniform tension on said transmitter.

24. In a .conveyingapparatus, in combination, two ropes, two rope drums therefor, a transmitterbetween said rope drums, a transmitter carrier and a motor for said carrier exerting a tension upon said ropes.

25. In a conveying apparatus, in combination, a loop of rope extending across the span, a load carriage secured thereto, a rope drum-for each end thereof, a transmitter between said rope drums and a transmitter 'carrier by the movement of which: an increment or decrement can be produced in the length of said loop.

26. In a conveying apparatus, in combination, a loop of'rope extending across the span, a'load carriage secured thereto, a rope two ahned .ro'pedrums, means whereby the first one. is driven,

drum for each end thereof, a transmitter between said rope drums and a transmltter carrier and. a tension for said carrier tending to Y 27. In combination, a cableway, relatively "movable supports therefor, a load carriage, -the traction rope therefor, two actuators whereby the inhaul and outhaul runs of said traction rope are respectively driven, a motor operatively connected with one of Said actuators, a transmitter carrier between said actuators and a movable transmitter whereby the length of said traction rope on the span can be controlled.

28. In combination, a supporting cable, a

tension therefor, relatively movable supports therefor, a load carriage running there- 4 whereby the out-haul and in-haul runs ofsaid ope are respectively driven, a motor operatively connected with one of said actuators, a transmitter between sa d actuators and a movable transmitter carrier whereby 180 on thesecond and 75' riving connec- 80 the length of said traction rope on the span can be controlled.

29. In combination, a cableway, relatively movable supports therefor, a load carriage, 6 the traction rope therefor, two actuators whereby the in-haul and out-haul runs of said traction ro e are res ectively driven, a motor operative y connec ed with one of said actuators, a transmitter between said ac- 1 tuators and a movable transmitter carrier, a motor therefor whereby the length of said traction rope on the span can be controlled. 30. In combination, a cableway, relatively.

movable supports therefor, a load carriage,'

1 the traction rope therefor, two actuators whereby the in-haul and out-haul runs of said traction ro e are respectively driven, a motor operative y connected with one of said actuators, a transmitter between said actuators and a movable transmitter carrier, a tension motor therefor whereby the length of said traction rope on the span can be controlled.

31. In combination, a pulling boat, a pulled boat, a transit rope, a load support moved thereby, an actuator of said transit rop and a tension device acting upon said transit rope'consisting of a-second actuator and a tensioned transmitter between said two actuators.

32. Incombination, a pulled boat, a pulling boat, a transit rope, a load support moved by said transit rope, a forward transit actuator, a backward transit actuator, and

a transmitter between the two.-

33. In combination, a pulled boat, a pulling boat, 'a'transit rope, a load support moved by said transitrope, a forward transit actuator, a backward transit actuator and a tensioned transmitter between the two.

34; In combination, a-pulled'boat, a pulling boat; a transit rope, a' load support i moved by'said transit rope, a forward transit actuator, a backward transit actuator, a tensioned transmitter between the two and a brake on said tensionedtransmitter.

.35. In combination, it pulled boat, a pulling boat, a transit rope, a load; support moved by said transit rope, a forward transit actuator, a backward transit actuator, a tensioned transmitter between the two and a brake applied to one of said transit actuators.

36. In combination, a pulled boat, a pulling boat, a transit rope, a load support moved by said transit rope, a forward transit ,actuator, a backward transit actuator, a motor whereby the first of said transit actuators is driven and a transmitter whereby the second .of said actuators is driven from thefirst. 37. In combination, a pulling boat, it pulled boat, a transit rope, a load support moved thereby an actuator for said transit rope, a tengiond l 6 rope consisting of an antagomstic actuator tween sair drums.

evice acting upon said transit,

and a tensioned transmitter between said actuators whereby one is urged to haul in faster than the other pays out.

38. In combination, a pulling boat, a pulled boat, a transit rope, a'load suport moved thereby, a rope drum connects with each end of said transit rope and a tensioned transmitter between said rope drums.

39. In combination, two relatively moving supports, a transit rope extendingbetween the same, a forward transit actuator, a backward transit actuator acting upon said rope antagonistically and a tension'ed'trarismitter between said actuators whereby power applied to' one transit actuator is adapted to yield to the power of the other and thereby pay out the transit rope under tension.

40'. In combination, a pulling boat, a pulled boat, a transit rope, a load support moved thereby, an actuator for said transit rope, a tension device acting upon said transit rope and consisting 'of'an 'antago'nistically operating actuator and a tensioned transmitter between said actuators, a supplemental supporting rope and a tension device act ing upon said supplemental su orting rope.

41. In combination, a pu ing boat, a pulled boat,- a transit rope eictendi'ng'froni oneboatto" the other and back again, "a" load carriage running upon. onerbranch of said transit rope and moved by the other branch thereof, an actuator of said transit rope connected with one end thereof and a tension device consisting of a second-actuator upon the other end of said transit rope and a tension transmitter between said actuato'rs'.

42. In combination, a pulling boat, a pulled boat, a transit rope extending from one boat to the other and back again, a load carriage running upon one branch of said transit rope and moved by the other branch thereof, a supplemental supporting rope, a tension device acting upon sa 1d sup'portr-n rope, an actuator connected'with one end o said transit rope, a tension devicecons sting oia counteractuator acting upon the other end of said transit rope and a tensioned trans mitter between said actuators.

43. In combination, a pulling boat,, a I

ulled boat, a trackway cable extendmg from 116 he pulling boat over, 'and'to the rear of the pulled boa-t, guiding su ports for the track- 'way cable upon the pul ed boat, a sea anchor on the rear. of the trackwa cable, a trans t rope, a drum connected wit each end of sa d 120 transit ro e and a tensioned transmltter be- 44. In combination, a towing towed boat, a traveling rope between them, a yielding mechanism whereby a stra n is 2 exerted u on said traveling ro e m opposition to he pull of said tower .boat;-sa1d yielding mechanism consisting of two antagonisticall moving drums and a tension transmitter tween the same.

boat, a j

45. In combination, two relatively moving supports, a transit rope, a load support move y said translt ro e, a forward transit actuator, a backward ransit actuator, a tensioned transmitter between said actuators means whereby said transit -nope is lowered at a point intermediate said supports.

' 46. In combination, a ropeway extended across a ga supports therefor on opposite sides of sai gap elevated above the bottom thereof, a load rest on one side of said gap a load carriage, a traction rope enga ing said carriage, a drum connected with eac end of said traction rope, means engaging the ropethe motor and one of said drums, a tensioned transmitter between said drums, a transit rope actuated by the'coaction of said drums,

and means whereby said transit rope is def flected in antagonism to the tension on said transmitter.

49. In a cableway, in combination, a transit'rope, a tail sheave for the same, a ro e whereby said tail sheave is supported a oad rest and means whereby said tail sheave is deflected toward said load rest.

50. In a cablewa in combination, a transit rope, a tail s wave for the same, a rope whereby said tail sheave is supported, a pennant w ereby said sheave is connected with the tail su port, a load, rest and means whereby the tai sheave is deflected toward said load rest.

51. In combination, two transit rope extending from one support to the other and back. again, a loadcarriage upon one branch of said transit'rope and moved by the other branch thereof, an actuator of said transit rope connected with one end thereof, a tension-means at the other end of the transit rope.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two sub scribing witnesses.

THOMAS SPENCER MILLER.

supports, a

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 915,458, granted March 16, 1909, upon the application of Thom-as Spencer Miller, of South Orange, New Jersey, foran improvement in Power Transmitters and Controllers, an error appears in the printed specification requiring correct-ion, as follows: In line 118, page 4, the word carrier should bestricken out and inserted after the word transmitter in line 119, same page; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 6th day of AprilQA. D., 1909.

[5mm] c. o. BILLINGS,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

